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Tucson man making a difference in kids lives through magic
Posted - 3/24/2010 at 6:50PM
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TUCSON - For one elderly man, creating illusions is more than a hobby, more than a job, it is a calling.
Jay Knapp is making a difference in thousands of kids lives through his magic.
Knapp brings magic into the Tucson Medical Center each week.
He taps the children on the head with his magic wand and tells them they will get better.
Knapp said, "If I can touch somebody on the forehead with a plastic wand and he believes he is going to get better and stronger, what could be better?"
It may not be as simple as abracadabra, but Knapp says lifting sick kids spirits is a way to get their mind off the pain and back to feeling better.
"A doctor can't give them an injection to make them happy. I can do that in seconds," said Knapp.
Joe Aranda's son Stevie had his appendix removed. He says he noticed a change in Stevie in a matter of minutes.
"His face looked like it changed up a little bit, his attitude and everything. He was quiet when he was in his room but he has more color in him now, he is looking better," said Aranda.
Stevie said, "I woke up and I was pretty sore and I just started walking around and I met him and he made my day."
And there is one child Knapp keeps close to his heart. "A girl, she was 13 years old, and her father was sitting in the corner at University Hospital and he was as sad as could be. She was bald and I know she was a cancer patient. I looked at her and said how about a little magic, she said no. I said well lets try it out anyhow. I saw a faint smile, then a little bit of a guarded giggle, and then it turned into laughter and then we had a ball. The father came out and he says my daughter hasn't smiled in weeks she hasn't laughed in months, thank God for somebody like you." said Knapp.
Knapp says he hopes to keep performing magic unless he falls victim to the magicians curse, arthritis.
He said, "It's become so common place for me to see a sad face, a frightened face, into a smiling and laughing face, and that is worth anything. I tell you one day I'll stand before my god and I'll say I did my best and I hope you liked it. I hope it was good enough."
If these young critics are any judge, surely he will.
Posted - 3/24/2010 at 6:50PM
watch embedded video
Watch this video full-size
Embed this video
TUCSON - For one elderly man, creating illusions is more than a hobby, more than a job, it is a calling.
Jay Knapp is making a difference in thousands of kids lives through his magic.
Knapp brings magic into the Tucson Medical Center each week.
He taps the children on the head with his magic wand and tells them they will get better.
Knapp said, "If I can touch somebody on the forehead with a plastic wand and he believes he is going to get better and stronger, what could be better?"
It may not be as simple as abracadabra, but Knapp says lifting sick kids spirits is a way to get their mind off the pain and back to feeling better.
"A doctor can't give them an injection to make them happy. I can do that in seconds," said Knapp.
Joe Aranda's son Stevie had his appendix removed. He says he noticed a change in Stevie in a matter of minutes.
"His face looked like it changed up a little bit, his attitude and everything. He was quiet when he was in his room but he has more color in him now, he is looking better," said Aranda.
Stevie said, "I woke up and I was pretty sore and I just started walking around and I met him and he made my day."
And there is one child Knapp keeps close to his heart. "A girl, she was 13 years old, and her father was sitting in the corner at University Hospital and he was as sad as could be. She was bald and I know she was a cancer patient. I looked at her and said how about a little magic, she said no. I said well lets try it out anyhow. I saw a faint smile, then a little bit of a guarded giggle, and then it turned into laughter and then we had a ball. The father came out and he says my daughter hasn't smiled in weeks she hasn't laughed in months, thank God for somebody like you." said Knapp.
Knapp says he hopes to keep performing magic unless he falls victim to the magicians curse, arthritis.
He said, "It's become so common place for me to see a sad face, a frightened face, into a smiling and laughing face, and that is worth anything. I tell you one day I'll stand before my god and I'll say I did my best and I hope you liked it. I hope it was good enough."
If these young critics are any judge, surely he will.
